Some things arn't meant to be
by Sunripple
Summary: Have you ever regretted something? Never as much as Hermione did. If only Harry was hers. Then, on the day of her wedding she gets a surprise visit from an old foe with similar thoughts. Together they go back to try and change the present. But some things just aren't meant to be...
1. Chapter 1

"You look amazing," Ginny murmured.

"Yes, but I still say she should've worn something more interesting," Luna commented.

"It's supposed to be her wedding," said Hermione's mother, "not yours."

"Zit eez still beautiful, if a little dull," Fleur said to Molly Weasley.

"Guys, please. She's still got a good four hours before the wedding so let's give her some space," Ginny said, sensing her friend's discomfort.

Hermione winked at Ginny as they left. If it was up to her only Ginny, Molly and her mom would be helping her with her dress. She still didn't really like fleur that much (even if she was polite towards her) and Luna was honestly...Luna."

Downstairs Neville broke another glass decoration. She couldn't help smiling. Properly, for the first time in a long while. In truth she hadn't truly been happy since Ron had asked her to marry him. She loved him and his family but it just didn't feel right. Crookshanks purred from behind the bed. She stroked the top of his head gently. No, who she really wanted to marry was Harry Potter.

After the war, she, Harry Ron and Neville went back to Hogwarts with Ginny and Luna to finish their educations as none of them really did much in their final year. She had recovered her parent's memories and they weren't very happy with her but thanks to her friends, she convinced them to see that she did the right thing. During that year she decided to take Ron over Harry a) because of Ginny but b) mostly because of Ron taking subjects with her to become an auror. If he wasn't there, she might have seen Harry in a different way back then. The reason she loved him now was because she and Harry had become aurors together and during that time, he had chosen to help her with all her missions, even if Ginny asked him to take her on a date, he put it on hold to help her.

Meanwhile, Neville became Hogwarts herbology teacher, Luna now works at the Ministry in the Department of Mysteries, Ginny is an amazing healer at St Mungo's and Ron works for the department of Magical games and Sports(he failed at auror training but became seriously good at Quidditch). This meant that Harry and Hermione were aurors together, alone, in the same office.

Feeling miserable, Hermione decided to quickly change into her old clothes and go down to the Hog's Head.

_It was a bright morning in Diagon Alley. Harry, Ron and Hermione were walking around the various shops. Flourish and Blotts came into view as the trio walked along the crowded area. Just at that moment, Ron grabbed them both and apparated into the Three Broomsticks, took out a ring and proposed. How could Hermione have refused? Nobody had seen her later at her parents' house, when she ran into her old bedroom and sobbed._

That's why she was in the Hog's Head instead of the Three Broomsticks. She didn't want to remember that now. She ordered some fire whiskey and sighed. If only Ron hadn't decided to become an auror and had chosen to work in the department of Magical games and Sports in the first place, if only Ginny had not been on the Quidditch team as captain, then maybe she and Harry could have made something work. Outside she heard a pop. _Please don't let it be anyone I know_ she begged silently. The door opened with a light creak. Hermione nearly fell of her chair.

**Please review! I can only update occasionally though, because school comes first and I've got other fanfictions to write.**


	2. Chapter 2

Through the door stepped a thin, tall man with almost white hair. If you met him, you wouldn't forget him. He was wearing a tuxedo and wore a grim expression as if he just heard about a family member that had died. This was Draco Malfoy.

He ordered something "that better be strong" and to Hermione's surprise, sat down in front of her.

"Hello Granger, it's been what, four years?"

"What do you want Draco?" she replied coolly, trying to keep her anger and surprise under control.

"I believe it's your wedding day. To weasel Weasley I assume?"

"He is not a weasel! And out of curiosity how do you know anyway?"

"It just so happens I am getting married as well."

"Well then you'd better get moving." Who would want to marry Malfoy? Yuck!

"I've got time."

"And you don't look very happy about it."

"Actually I'm not. If it was up to me I wouldn't be getting married to her."

"Yeah well, I'd learn to deal with it."

He studied her carefully before commenting, "and I don't think you're pleased with this idea to marry Weasley then?"

"Where did you get that idea? I love Ron very much?'

"But he wasn't your first joice?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

Her heart started pounding in her chest. Why was she spilling this out to Malfoy a death-eater, the boy that despised her and her friends, the boy that called her mudblood. _It's because he's also into something he can't escape from. A marriage he doesn't want._ A small voice whispered inside her head.

"If only I could change the past."

"What?"

"If only I could change the past. If I could go back a year after the war, my life would be better now."

"So would mine." Oops. Too much given away to Malfoy who she really had no idea why she was still talking him.

"So you do wish you could change the past. Who is it, Granger?"

"Who is what?"

"Your first choice"

Silence.

"Let me guess, Longbottom? Krum? Harry Potter?"

She flinched at the last name.

"So it is Potter."

"What are you getting at Malfoy?"

"A new time turner has been invented. One that will take you to the year after the war, but no further."

"So?"

"You're supposed to be smart. Work it out. I want you to help me get that Time- Turner."

"Why would I do that?" she was shocked. Not that Malfoy wanted to break into the ministry and steal the most powerful Time -Turner, but shocked that he wanted her help.

"Wouldn't you want to be marrying Harry right now?"

Now she understood. He had planned his from the start.

"Why would you want me to help you?"

"You want what I want and I might need your help."

"With what?"

"You'll see if you help me."

"How do I know I can trust you? You're a former death-eater. There is an infinite number of bad things that you could be planning that I wouldn't want to help you achieve.

He merely smiled and took out a locket from pocket. He prised it open to reveal a muggle photo of a woman with strawberry blonde hair.

"Her name is Clara, a muggle who I met and fell in love with. She changed me for the better. My father almost killed her and made me marry Caroline Goyle. My former best friend's cousin."

It could have been a trap but there were tears in his eyes. Real tears.

Against all better judgment she said, "I'll help you."

"So after we've broken in to the ministry we go to the department of what?" Draco asked Hermione.

"The Department of Mysteries has a Time Chamber where all the Time- Turners are kept."

Hermione still couldn't believe she was about to break into the ministry. With Draco Malfoy that is. She remembered breaking into it once before when she, Harry and Ron were looking for horcruxes.

Together they walked outside the ministry doors (they had apparated a few feet away) with Malfoy covered by a cloak that covered his face. They stepped into the elevator and started going up towards the Department of Mysteries.


	3. Chapter 3

**I decided to rate it T in case, but if you read all the books, it's fine.**

How do we get to the right room?" Draco whispered.

"Shh, I'm trying to concentrate, "Hermione snapped back.

"Isn't your wedding soon?" the voice of Peter Malkinson, head of the deparment.

"Yes, we should go, Ron," Hermione said, thinking fast. "But could we please ask you for a favour, Peter? A wedding gift perhaps?"

"Umm, okay?"

"Can we please have a moment alone? We came here for some privacy."

"Uh, sure. Just don't go into the rooms, unspeakables only, you know,"

She smiled sweetly and felt terribly guilty for taking advantage of his trusting nature but led Draco to the Entrance Room. Instantly the doors rotated.

"How do we, you know, leave afterwards?" he asked.

"Just leave it to me."

Hermione recalled how she had marked the doors the last time she was here.

Meanwhile Malfoy chanted "Alohomora" at one of the handless black doors but it didn't open.

"You can't open it. Harry told me it is the Love Chamber. Dumbledore told Harry that it is very powerful in there and it contains a basin of "Amortentia" which is perhaps being studied right now."

"What's Amortentia?"

"Don't you remember from potions class? It's the most powerful love potion there is."

"Okay. Never mind that now, let's find that bloody Time-Turner."

"I thought you changed for the better."

"So did I, now let's move, Granger."

On Hermione's lucky guess, they only had to go through one room (the Death Chamber) before arriving in the Time Chamber.

"There it is," said Draco, pointing at a Time-Turner the size of a small dustbin.

Around it was a gold chain.

"Apparently it works orally. I'll tell it to go back to Halloween all those years ago and then we'll go to your time," Draco said.

Hermione would have liked to object but Draco had already thrown the golden chain around his neck. She slipped her head in too and felt it to beweird,sharing it with Malfoy.

"Halloween, four years ago!" Malfoy said and flipped the Time-Turner.

Hermione felt the familiar felling as she drifted back in time. She had done this many times in her third year at Hogwarts but the most memorable time was with Harry, when they had gone to save Sirius and Buckbeak. _Soon my life will be different_, she thought.


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione looked around her. She and Draco were in Malfoy manor. Draco's bedroom. The Time-Turner was still around both their necks. Draco took the golden chain off and hid it behind a large trunk that he used to keep his things in at Hogwarts. The sound of a toilet flushing made Hermione jump.

"This way," Draco whispered.

Hermione followed him inside a wardrobe behind a bunch of old robes.

"Mother!" young Draco yelled, coming out of the bathroom.. "Where's my wand?"

"I don't know, ask your father." Narcissa Malfoy shouted back.

"Father! My wand?"

"On the table," Lucius snapped. He and Narcissa had managed to avoid Azkaban somehow.

Draco went out the room in a huff.

"Don't come back until you have my money, Draco," Lucius said.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked.

"This man owes my father money so I have to go fetch it from him. Unfortunately he lives in a muggle area."

"What do we have to do now?"

"Use your head, mudblood. I follow myself for a while and when my father finds out about Clara, I protect her by any means necessary. At the same time I've got to persuade my mother that Caroline Goyle is horrible and Clara is the girl for me."

"You've got to stop calling me a mudblood!"

"What, I'm used to it. Besides, you are one."

"Call me that, and we'll be home before we can leave the house."

"Alright, fine."

They stared at each other for a moment.

Finally hormone asked, "What do you need me for?"

"You're the only one I know who can perform almost any spell, knows everything about romance and can help Clara."

"How?"

"You'll see. Trust me."

They moved along the garden and apparated with a 'pop' outside a small white house. Malfoy gestured to her to look through the key hole. Draco and a skinny black hair man were talking quietly about a parcel on the table.

"Hermione,'' Draco said, prodding her in the ribs.

She looked up and a group of small children dressed as witches, wizards, zombies and ghosts were coming towards them. They stepped out of the way as the kids rang the doorbell. The skinny man answered it.

''Trick or treat!" sang the children

"Huh? What do you want?" the man said gruffly.

"Sweets, silly," said a little strawberry blonde girl dressed as a witch.

To Hermione's surprise he went to the kitchen and gave them a small chocolate bar each. He closed the door again. Draco pulled her into the shadows as younger Draco came out looking grim. Clearly, he hadn't got the parcel. Then out of nowhere, a woman with strawberry blonde hair ran straight up to him and asked, "Have you seen my sister? She's a smaller version of me, just dressed as a witch."

"She went that way," Draco said, pointing.

"Oh, thank you so much. I told Annie not to go anywhere but…thank you, anyway. Come to my house so I can thank you properly. Its number 33." She said and ran off.

Draco looked utterly bewildered.

"Hey, you," said a short man coming up to him,"you should stay away from her. She is strange. Yip, that's how you'd describe her, if not a bit weird."

"I thought she was a witch," Draco explained. "That man said that she was strange so I thought she might be."

They followed young Draco to a modern house with a large 33 on the door and waited. Then Annie and the older girl, who must be Clara came and let him in. Hermione instantly raced up to the key hole.

"Thank you so much. My parents' would've killed me. I'm Clara by the way. Clara Smith."

"Draco Malfoy,"

"I'm studying at the local college to become a teacher. I'm working at the bakery for now though, what do you do?"

"Um," said Draco, regretting his decision to come here, "I should get going."

"Oh, I see. It's because sick isn't it?

"What?"

"Sick. You know, cancer?"

"I don't know what that is but, if you're sick, I'll stay away."

"You don't know what cancer is?"

"No, now let me go home."

"But you must know! Everyone knows." She then added, "Aren't you afraid of me?"

"Yeah, well I don't know, so let me leave! And I'm not afraid of you."

Clara might have let him go if he hadn't dropped his wand. She picked it up and Draco looked horrified.

"What's this?"

"None of your business, muggle."

"Muggle? That's what that man sometimes calls us. Here's your wand."

"You know it's a wand?"

"Well, yeah. You're supposed to be a wizard right?"

"But how? You're not a witch."

"No, I'm a fairy."

"Fairies are tiny, you can't be one!"

They both looked stunned.

"I think you need help, like now. Are you drunk or something?"

"No!" said Draco angrily.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Give me that. I have some unfinished business." Draco snarled, snatching the wand.

"You're not very nice even if you aren't afraid of me." Clara said and broke down into a sob.

Hermione moved away from the door as Draco exited it. She watched as he left.

"Wait," said older Draco.

After a few minutes young Draco walked up the street. He walked past two men.

"Yip, I tell you that Clara girl, is dangerous. Friendless for a good reason. She killed a man you know, shot him just because he broke in her house. But she'll die from the disease soon; god always knows how to punish someone."


	5. Chapter 5

5

Hermione followed Draco back to Malfoy manor. Young Draco was inside pleading with his father to let him get the bag the following day.

"I can't believe you didn't know what cancer is! That poor girl probably thought that you could help her but instead you pass off as a drunk idiot!"

"what do you mean I could've helped her?"

"I mean you didn't think she was dangerous to your health, which she's not.'

"Yeah, well I did find out about that disease . In about ten minutes ill know, anyway."

As he said this, young Draco walked out positively fuming. It was late at night and he had to get the parcel or sleep outside. Draco grabbed Hermione's hand and apparated outside Clara's house. Young Draco was outside, looking uncertain. Eventually he knocked.

"Mom?" Clara asked, opening the door. "Oh, it's you."

"Err, hi again, umm I've got a small problem. See my dad gave me a job but I couldn't do it so he kicked me out the house and threatened to snap my w-. I mean take my money if he finds out I'm staying with a friend so… can I stay here? Just for tonight anyway. You can tell me what canther is."

Hermione shot Draco a questioning look and he shrugged.

Younger Draco went inside.

"Okay, long story short," Draco whispered to her, "she told me about her and I told her nothing about me. Then she found my wand and set something on fire. Then I told her about me. From the very beginning, she promised not to tell anyone about the wizarding world and didn't even seem frightened that I am what I am.

She asked me if she would see me again and I told her that if I'm in the area."

"Okay, now what?"

"We go to the time when my dad sets up an arranged marriage,"

Hermione felt the tingle of traveling through time. When she landed she was in Malfoy manor and it was dark. Downstairs there was an argument raging.

"My best friends cousin!?"

"Precisely. You're lucky she agreed to go anywhere near you. Now about the date…"

"Ughh!" Draco screamed and stormed out. Draco took her wrist and she knew where Draco was taking her to. But she was wrong. They were in a restaurant. Clara was asking a family if the wanted something to drink. Draco beckoned Hermione to sit at a table behind a statue where they wouldn't be seen. Then young Draco walked in. Hermione watched as he sat down at the table in front of her but Clara was still tending to the family.

"Clara!" young Draco called out rudely.

Clara quickly wrote down something then went up to Draco.

"How may I – Draco!"

"Hey, Clara. As soon as you're finished we need to talk."

"Okay. I just have to give this to the chef and clean up dishes in the sink."

The sat for an awfully long time.

"Okay, what is?" Clara asked, taking a seat.

"You remember I told you about my former best friends? Yeah, well now I have to marry his cousin. My dad is forcing me. Listen to me, Clara, these last few weeks have been amazing but I-"

He didn't get to finish. Clara was kind of choking him with her kissing.

Draco looked stunned and dumfounded. The Draco beside Hermione was smiling.

"Sorry, I've never done that before."

"It's okay. Clara… I love you. You're the first muggle I've ever really met and I love you. My dad would kill me, my mom… and now I have to marry my friend's cousin and it would be best if I never see you again."

"You said that the last few times! And besides, I wouldn't have anything left to live. I'm a dead end, Draco. I'm slowly dying and that's all there is to it. I'm never going to find someone else because of who I am and what I've done. You can't leave."

"I…I shall try stay in touch."

"Wait. Let me meet your parents. Maybe they will see that I'm fine."

"Okay."

**Time teleport to 1 week later.**

Hermione was struggling to grasp what was going on. Draco had basically fallen for Clara and it was clear he had actually changed for her but it was still unbelievable that he thought he could marry her eventually. He had told his parents that he was bringing over a friend from Hogwarts. Which wasn't a lie because Pansy had been invited too.

She scowled when Pansy had come up the drive way with Lucius and nearly fainted at the sight of Narcissa. She looked sick. Sicker than Clara.

"Okay. When my dad first hears that she is a muggle he will throw a knife and cut her arm and leg. We have to prevent that because… we just must! Clara refused to see me for 3 weeks after that."

"Anything else?"

"Yes. That's step one: protect her from my father. The guards will then take him to Azkaban and my mother will try arranging my marriage."

Draco came up the path. White peacocks walked around them. Clara held his arm tightly. It was clear she hadn't seen a place as beautiful as this. The knocked on the door. A house elf let them in. things were about to get messy.


	6. Chapter 6

**Just saying, I know that Harry married before Hermione and certain dates are incorrect and the occupations don't follow the story but this is fanfiction so I make the rules for this story. I don't not own Harry Potter. Unfortunately.**

Older draco whispered to Hermione to open the door.

Lucius threw the knife. Older Draco chanted something and the knife landed with a bang against the glass table. He ran out before he could be seen. He took her wrist and fled to the bottom of the garden to an ancient shed, disused and rotting. Night had fallen.

Draco slipped into the kitchen and came back with a bottle of Butterbeer and a large roast chicken.

"Why am I here?" Hermione asked. So far she wasn't much use to him.

"I suppose I'd better tell you what happens after this. The ministry arrest my father but my mother continues to arrange the wedding. I told you we would have to convince her to cancel but she won't. In a few years' time It'll be the present and I will be marrying someone who picks her nose. The plan is to convince Clara to marry me now. And since we've already just changed history, I want you to ask her. She won't look at me for a while and by then it will be too late."

"You want me to convince her. Why couldn't you have asked someone else?"

"You just seemed perfect for the job.'

She smiled. "You know, if you would have been nicer to me at Hogwarts I might be helping you regardless. That also means I'd probably be marrying Blaise."

He laughed so hard she was surprised Narcissa didn't come running. The ministry was arriving at the gate, ready to take Lucius away for attempted murder of a muggle.

"Hey, mudblood? Blaise only liked Slytherin girls."

She ignored his use of the word mudblood.

"Krum dated me.''

"What, that broom riding fool? Darn it, he was a brilliant at broom riding but he wasn't the brightest. If I remember correctly, he couldn't pronounce your name."

"It was his accent!"

His white teeth flashed like a cat's. "S'cuse me Hairy-mine-pi. Would tou come to de Yule ball?"

"You sound more like Fleur."

"No. this sounds like fleur. 'Oh, Arry. You sav-ed my little s'ister.'"

"Not quite."

He shrugged. "Get some sleep. You've got convincing to do tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes. I'll drop you off at her house."

"Where will you be.?"

"Looking for a ring."

The following morning she woke up early. A dress that was far too big for her lay beside her.

"It was my mothers. You need to look respectable."

"I've been fine so far."

"You're wearing a wedding dress. Fine for Halloween and hiding in the dark but if you're going to meet Clara, you might want to look decent."

She just sat there. _Am I seriously doing this? This feels like I'm in a mystery-romance novel._

"What are you waiting for?"

She jumped. "Umm, for you to turn around."

"Are you being serious?"

"Yes, actually. I never joke."

He snorted but did turn to face the wall.

The dress felt like something that had been pulled out of a swamp. And looked like it came out of medieval times.

"Are you done yet, Princess Mudblood?"

"Yes, now if you want to do this, we'd better hurry. Oh, and watch out for your older self."

"Thanks, Hermione, let's go."

Hermione smiled. That was the first time he had called her Hermione.

Clara took deep breath. _Please, don't be Draco._

But when she opened the door she saw a young woman with messy brown hair. She would be quite pretty if it weren't from her clothes, which looked like something out of 'Romeo and Juliet'. In other words, old and frilly.

"Hello, may I come in?"

"Sorry, who are you?"

"My name is Hermione Granger."

"You know Draco. I'm sorry but I'm not interested in his excuses. Tell him I just need time."

"He doesn't have time! In 2017 he will be forced to marry someone else."

"I know this already."

"He wants to change that. He wants to marry you now."

"What?" she was completely confused. Now? How is that possible?

"Please, will you?"

She didn't know what came over herself. "Yes!"


	7. Chapter 7

"She did?" Draco was smiling so broadly Hermione thought his bottom jaw would drop off.

"For the seventh time, yes!"

"Where? When?"

"Her house at eight. In front of her parents."

"Do I tell them I'm a wizard?"

"She's taking care of that."

"We must get ready. You are coming aren't you?"

"Yes. You've got smart clothes inside don't you?"

"Yes. Mother is out so you can raid her wardrobe."

"Thanks. Not that I would want to."

"She has better stuff, I promise."

"You sure?"

"Hey, she might have been a death-eater but she is still my mother. And besides, Harry would be dead right now if she hadn't told the Dark Lord he was dead."

The thought of Harry made her realise why she was doing this.

"Okay, but she better have something without lace!"

It turned out that Narcissa Malfoy did have something decent. Hermione was wearing a bright green dress made of silk. Better than her cotton wedding dress.

"What are you going to tell Narcissa?" she said when Draco met her at the doorway.

"On the day of the wedding I'll inform her that I am marrying the muggle she met the night Father was taken to prison."

To Hermione, that sounded absolutely dreadful but she kept her mouth shut.

They apparated separately and arrived outside Clara's house. The table set for six was on the porch and only the younger girl sat outside, playing with a toy fairy. The rest were probably inside getting ready. Draco (after a good five minutes of combing his hair and straightening his tie for the seventh time) knocked on the door and was met by a plump woman with the biggest set of glasses she had ever seen. Harry's were small by comparison.

"Oh, come in, come in! It is so great to have you here! Clara is growing up at last. Forgive me, you are Draco aren't you? And…" she started gushing out words that seemed to flow across her tongue like a babbling brook. A perfect way to describe her: a babbling brook.

The father looked more like his daughters. Tall and thin with strawberry blonde hair. His eyes seemed to reflect peace but his scars on his face showed that he had clearly been in a few fights. He held out his hand to Draco, who promptly shook it, and then took Hermione's hand and kissed it. Then they saw Clara. She walked down the staircase with a smile on her face. A bright yellow dress and a pearl necklace. Absolutely mesmerising. Until she tripped and fell down the remaining stairs.

"Hi Hermione!" she said and ran up to Draco and kissed his cheek softly.

"Come on!" the younger sister said. "Outside!"

"Give us a moment, please." Draco said and indicated to Hermione to wait with him.

The family walked out, not even the slightest suspicion on their faces.

"Listen Hermione, you are going to explain a little about wizards to the family. Meanwhile I am going to find my younger self, explain to him the whole story, he will propose to her and we go home and I live happily ever after."

"That's a good plan if my part of the bargain was included." Hermione said, in the proud tone she used whenever she was correcting somebody.

"Yes alright, we'll do that next but first let's complete my happy ending, mudblood."

She rolled her eyes but nodded. He then apparated to only-he-knows-where.

Hermione took a deep breathe. Her shoes made a nice sound as she stepped onto the wooden porch.

"Draco has gone to fetch something." She announced.

"That's fine but how'd he get out?"

"He apparated, daddy." Clara said quickly, helping Hermione start the necessary conversation.

"What's 'applerated?'" the mother asked.

"Apparated means that he teleported. He's a real wizard."

The father burst into a fit of laughing.

"It's true! Hermione is a witch. Show them Hermione!"

This felt very uncomfortable. "Umm, what would you like me to do?"

"Something fantastical." The mother said, clearly expecting a magic show.

"Umm…Expecto Patronum!" she said, pulling out her wand.

The silver otter came out of her wand. The family, excluding Clara looked rather stunned. Getting into know-it-all mode, Hermione prepared to give a speech.

"I am a real witch and Draco is a real wizard. We use wands; have familiars, broom riding, teleporting and many other amazing things. Draco and I attended a wizardry and witchcraft school together but he was horrible because he was pressurised by his parents to hate non-magic bornwitches and wizards. Clara is the first 'muggle' as we say; he has ever felt compassion for. We hope you can accept that he will marry Clara. Accept that he is a wizard and he will accept that Clara has cancer."

She sighed in relief as the family nodded their heads. "You are wise, my dear." The father said.

"Thanks. I get that a lot."

Clara's mother (called Kay) bought out roast chicken and potato when they waited for Draco to arrive. Finally, they saw the pale haired figure coming towards them.

"Draco?" Hermione asked quietly so the family would not hear. "Present or future?"

"Present." He muttered. Then he turned to Clara dropped on one knee and…

Clara fell to the ground in pain. "Help me!" Kay screeched. The sister grabbed onto Hermione's leg and wailed while Draco helped Kay with Clara. The father phoned an ambulance. When the red light appeared, Hermione held the sister's hand and watched Draco's horrified expression as the men in white took Clara away. Behind the trees she caught a glimpse of the future Draco. He was already preparing to apparate.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks katniss scaring and Starburst768 for motivating me to write on this again. It may be difficult to update but I'm still continuing! Just saying, I got 3 other stories so be patient!**

Hermione grabbed his arm just in time, and they arrived outside a large white building, the town's hospital. There was no way Clara was here already.

"Damn, it!" Draco cursed.

"We must alert the hospital," Hermione said rationally, but inside she wanted to cry.

"Yeah, we must. Wait here, I'll tell them. If you see them coming, tell me."

He raced inside, so fast it seemed impossible, leaving Hermione staring after him.

The wait was agonizing, worse than waiting at the early hours in the morning for Christmas presents when she was younger. Much worse. The sirens were getting closer.

"Draco!"

But it wasn't just Draco that came out of the doors. Doctors and nurses accompanied him.

"They're coming."

Out the ambulance came paramedics, Clara (who was unrecognizable) and the rest of them. Both Dracos looked sick.

The doctors took Clara into the emergency room, her family following. She and the Dracos were about to follow but a plump women stopped them.

"Family and request only."

"What?" they said together.

"Are you related to them?"

"No but-"

"Did Clara personally ask for you?"

"No but-"

"Then you stay out."

Younger Draco hid behind the couch and apparated into the room anyway but older Draco simply sat on the couch, his head in his hands.

"Draco?"

"Why did I do this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Look at her, Hermione. Just look at her! All hooked up to tubes, and she's dying. I know that she's going to die for a fact. If it had just accepted my fate this wouldn't be happening. She'd be alive and well."

"But she wouldn't be happy. Draco, if you hadn't come back, she'd probably have committed suicide."

He sighed and none of them spoke for a long time.

"Uhm," that nurse whispered. "You are requested."

The pair stood up silently and walked into the room.

Clara was still breathing but barely.

Draco, the younger one, placed a ring on her finger. The beeping was frantic, the machine was screaming, the red lights flashing. And then it stopped.

Hermione's hands flew to her mouth and she could feel the tears coming. Draco was crying too, but he took her hand. The apparated to the shed in his parent's garden.

"Ugh! This never should've happened!"

"Draco, clam down!"

"You calm down!"

"Draco, look at it this way. You did marry her and she died happy rather than alone. Isn't that enough?"

He didn't reply.

"During the war, when Hagrid was carrying Harry's body and I thought he was dead, I felt like this. I know the feeling of wanting to die, to change the past. I've listened to Harry's stories of Snape's memories and believe me, he was a lot worse off than you. And Dumbledore's brother Aberforth. He's always been sort of depressed after his sister died.. But you know what? We moved on. It hurts but we have to."

"Then why do you want to change your past?"

"Because I'll never forgive myself for not trying."

He smiled ever so slightly. "Okay. Do you have a plan?"

"I'm working on it."

At least that's what she thought she was doing. She lay awake, thinking about her years at Hodwarts, the ones before the war. In those years, she would've done anything to get Ron to like her, but now she would do anything, to get him to unlike her.

She always knew that everyone had expected her to end up with Harry, Ron included. Harry had been the one to look for her when the troll attacked, and it had been Ron to say that he disliked her at first. Harry had been the one to comfort her, and Ron would simply look awkward. He never had the courage to ask her, in fact he was terrible at doing so now. He proposed to her at The Three Broomsticks in front of his mother!

She was good at everything he wasn't, and he loved everything she didn't. He doesn't even know what ancient Runes were! And as she always said, "you've got the emotional range of a teaspoon."  
The memories flooded her mind.

But he had always been protective of her. That was what proved he cared most. Maybe it would be best if all of them married somebody different. To avoid awkward family ties. She'd end up Harry's children's aunt. A relative to Harry as well as his best friend. No, that would not work out. She had to do this, she had to.

And she'd start by making sure she replaced Ginny on the Quidditch team.

**Short chapter, but rather effective, I guess. Wednesdays are my best days for updating, so hopefully I can update then.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Yeah, I got quite a few followers and favorites! Thanks to everyone who has done so, and even bigger thanks to those who've reviewed.**

"Ready?" Draco asked.

"Yes, let's do it before I change my mind,"

Draco turned the time-turner a couple times and whispered the time they wanted. The world started moving around them. Hermione had been having doubts. What if Harry, Ron or Ginny died because of the change she hoped to make? She knew that maybe Clara had died from her cancer anyway but still, it was not a pleasant thought.

She also wondered how she was going to get her younger self on the Quidditch team. She couldn't play Quidditch now, and she couldn't play it then. But she also realized that she didn't actually have to replace Ginny. She just had to make sure that she wasn't there. Neville could replace her, for all she cared. She'd also make sure that she and Harry took all the same classes, bar arithmancy.

"Hermione, we're here. Now what?"

Hermione looked about her surroundings. The Hogs Head.

"We go to Hogwarts."

"How? That secret tunnel has long been filled in."

"It is the first day so it shouldn't be difficult to catch the Hogwarts express as it goes past."

He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Maybe, but I think I have a better idea."

"Are you sure this is safe?"

"Positive."

Hermione held tightly to Draco's shoulders. Draco had 'borowed' the broomstick from a storage cupboard in some witch's yard. And they were both sitting on it.

"I say we land at the owl tower."

"Agreed. Did anything happen this year in particular?"

"A couple students stayed back or repeated some years, besides me and the other two."

"Like whom?"

"Oh, I don't know. Those who took their school career seriously."  
"Anyone one in Slytherin?"

"Only two Slytherin girls, one with glasses whose name I do not know and another, whose name was Daphne."

"Daphne Greengrass. A pure-blood family of course."

"Don't tell me that you are still obsessed with pure-bloods."

"I'm not. I'm just saying that almost all Slytherins are pure-bloods. And if I were to marry a witch, I would want one who had been a pure-blood, their more talented, you know."

"I can't believe you! After everything with Clara, you still want a pureblood?"

"Forget I said anything."

"I will."

They landed on the owl tower as planned and got slowly off.

"How do we get about without being see?"

"I don't know. Does Harry have his cloak?"

"We can't steal it!"

"Okay. Can't we make a potion to make us invisible?"

"Not that I've ever heard of."

"Then we'll just have to make some of that stuff that makes us look like someone else. You can confund whoever and…hey, why don't you just pretend to be Ginny and leave Harry?"

"Are you mad? I can't do that to her! I have to make it real, I want his heart for real."  
"Why do you have to make it so difficult?"

"I don't know. You're good at Quidditch, maybe you can pose as a Gryffindor and replace Ginny on the team?"

"Okay, but how do we make sure that she doesn't get in?"

"I can move the Quaffle or whatever ball she has to hit or hide from so that it goes through the hoop every time using magic."

"Got it. That stuff, how do we find some? We can't possible make it."

"That stuff is called polyjuice potion, and I'm pretty sure that Slughorn has some brewed."

"Right. Who do I transform into? And more importantly, who do you transform into?"

"I confound myself and simply take her place. It'll be a lot easier, besides, I practically slept this year, it was so easy."

"Err, right. But what about me?"

"Some kid in Gryffandor, someone who sounds like you and isn't on the team but enjoys it."

"Well, who?"

I don't know. Oh, wait, I got it!"

"Yes?"

"I remember a girl called Romilda Vane talking to this one kid called Derek about it once."

"Okay, that's great. So I find Derek and what? Take over his life in the year he needs to concentrate most?"

"Hardly the year he has to concentrate most in! And it won't be permanent. We'll have to make sure that he's awake to lessons and to do homework. Unless you want to sit through another year of homework and history? I can rearrange his memory, if necessary. In fact, I will make him think that he is a Quidditch player, and after every match I'll put in an outcome."

"Okay. So how do we get some of this polyjuice stuff?"

Hermione smiled. "I'll go and 'borrow' some of this 'stuff'."

Slughorn's classroom was empty, a couple of old potions and a cauldron full of what must've been some kind of disaster was the only things that bubbled and splashed. Just her luck, there was some Felix Felicis in a vile on his desk. She uncorked it and drank some, hoping that it would work.

"Okay, so it must be in his cupboard, oh please let it be there…"

Yes! It was there. She took the whole bottle and scribbled a note on Slughorn's desk, forging his handwriting reminding him to make some more and left. If you weren't as observant as she, it was like she was never there.

"I got it!" Hermione and Draco said at the same time.

Draco grinned. "Okay, I got some of this kid's hair. And it looks like you got the potion, correct?"

"Yes. Now all we need is a place to do. We can't do it in Myrtle's bathroom, she'll recognize us and if I know myself, I'll find out something strange is happening."

"Don't overestimate yourself. But you're right; she'll spill out everything if someone asks. What about-"

"The Room of Requirement? We can't. I remember some curios first years sneaking in occasionally."

"Then what about the actual chamber of secrets. I'm sure Myrtle won't even notice that we're there. And we can apparate-"

"We can't apparate at Hogwarts! I really am the only one who read _Hogwarts: A History_."

"Right. What if we use Hagrid's hut?"

"Are you really that stupid? He lives there."

"Why don't you just punch him in the face? It even worked on me!"

"Draco, we must concentrate on this seriously."

"Oh aright. Where do you suggest?"

**Exams, exams and more exams!**


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